Electrified vehicles generally differ from conventional motor vehicles because electrified vehicles are selectively driven using one or more battery-powered electric machines. Conventional motor vehicles, in contrast to electrified vehicles, are driven exclusively using an internal combustion engine. The electric machines can drive the electrified vehicles instead of, or in addition to, an internal combustion engine. Example electrified vehicles include hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), fuel cell vehicles (FCVs), and battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
Traction batteries that power the electric machines can include one or more groups of battery cells within an enclosure. Over time, battery cells can expand and increase in size. The expanding battery cells can exert forces into the enclosure, which can potentially disrupt the structural integrity of the enclosure. In addition, expansion of the battery cells can adversely affect performance of the battery cells.